


Being Supportive

by purajobot935



Category: Dalton Academy Series, Dalton by CP Coulter, Glee
Genre: Boys Kissing, Dalton Academy, Emotional Comfort, Hand Jobs, Help, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Injury Recovery, Kissing It Better, M/M, Mud, Rain, Shower Sex, Showers, chustin tank, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-19
Updated: 2014-04-19
Packaged: 2018-01-19 23:45:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1488592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purajobot935/pseuds/purajobot935
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charlie has a really crappy day - football in the rain, busted ankle and yet another round with Murdoch. Good thing, then, that Justin's around to make things just that little bit better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Being Supportive

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published July-Aug 2011

Being Supportive

 

This had all gone south really fast.

It was bad enough that the Dalton Kings were playing yet another football match against St. Patrick’s, but then the weather had to get pissy, literally. Even if they were playing at home, and even with the help of the McKinley cheerleaders, things were just not looking good. The rain had turned the field into a muddy mess. The intensity of the downpour dimmed the brightness of the floodlights – who’s dumb idea was it to play at night anyway? – and the cheerleaders were taking cover in the locker rooms.

The players weren’t as fortunate.

Justin sighed and pulled his coat closer around himself, adjusting his umbrella as the wind shifted. Above and around him the school and three House flags flapped noisily and soggily and he cringed, just wanting this game to be over. Neither side had scored yet though each side had come close… perilously close in St. Patrick’s case, and only David’s crazy reflexes had saved the Dalton goal once more.

Above the sound of the flags he could hear Derek shouting game play to the rest of the Kings, re-adjusting their positions into yet another formation. His eyes drifted to a tall, dark-haired player as he moved into an attack position, and he smiled a bit though he sympathized. It had to be hard running around in the rain and the mud and the wind. 

He glanced at the clock on the scoreboard as the referee blew his whistle and the game resumed. They just had to hold out for 15 more minutes and then they could all call it a day.

A roar went up from the Dalton stands – he was a little surprised that most of the boys had stayed to support the team – and Justin saw the Windsors going crazy, even Kurt and Reed still in their Cheerios uniforms were jumping up and down. Justin saw why. He stood up.

Charlie had the ball and he and Wes were haring down to the St. Patrick’s goal. Derek took off after them to cover Charlie’s right. Stuart and Hanover joined in the Windsors’ cheering. Justin’s hands tightened around the handle of his umbrella. 

The Dalton mid-fielders were just managing to keep the St. Patrick players at bay. Charlie was nearing striking distance. He kicked the ball to Wes and dodged a St. Patrick’s defender. Wes kicked the ball back and he advanced, lining up a strike. Wes blocked another defender; two mid-fielders held up Derek. Charlie moved to strike…

A large St. Patrick’s striker ploughed into the Windsor prefect under the guise of blocking, sending him face-first into the grass and mud with the audible sound of football boot meeting leg. The Dalton stands fell into silence as the referee blew the whistle to pause the game, holding up a red card to the striker and declaring a penalty kick to the Kings and Charlie.

Charlie, who was still lying curled in the grass and holding his right leg just around the ankle.

Justin’s heart stuttered.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Blaine, Dwight, Todd and Drew trying to restrain the Twins from going out to kill the St Patrick’s striker, while down on the field, Derek was trying to hold back a furious Wes. Kurt and Reed were clutching at each other, looking worried for their prefect.

Justin was worried for his boyfriend.

A quiet murmur of hope rippled through the Dalton stands then. Justin’s knuckles were white as Spencer helped Charlie up to his feet. The Windsor prefect straightened and the Dalton stands held its breath as he slowly put weight on his right leg. The boy’s wince of pain was audible as he nearly fell over again and Spencer caught him just in time. The crowd groaned in disappointment and sympathy as Spencer helped him limp off the field and to the benches where the medics waited to check on him.

“Are you okay, Justin?” Danny asked his House prefect.

“Fine.” His eyes were fixed on the Windsor player even as the game resumed with Derek taking over the penalty kick.

The Kings’ captain kicked the ball hard enough that it might as well have been shot out of a cannon. The Stuarts and Hanovers roared in triumph as the rest of the players gathered around Derek. Justin and the Windsors barely moved.

He caught the eyes of the Twins. They glanced at the striker before looking back at Justin and making slicing motions across their necks. Justin almost pitied the boy. Almost. He looked back to the benches where Charlie sat alone looking more than a little dejected and holding an ice pack to his injured ankle. The coach – Murdoch – stood some distance away looking unconcerned.

Prejudiced bastard, Justin thought. That penalty wouldn’t have even happened if not for Charlie.

The Hanover prefect sank down in his seat as the final whistle blew and the Dalton stands erupted in cheers over their narrow victory. Players congratulated Derek on the penalty kick, though Derek himself, Justin noted, nodded over at Charlie who gave him a weak smile.

As the stands emptied, the coach gathered the players and started to usher them inside to the locker rooms, David and Wes helping Charlie to walk. The Twins and Kurt grabbed hold of worried Windsors and hushed whispers were exchanged with glances at Justin that they thought the Hanover didn’t see.

Something about letting Justin take care of Charlie instead of smothering him with their special brand of Windsor care. He smiled a humorless smile, but he was grateful.

Danny stopped in front of him. “You coming back to Hanover, or…”

Justin looked up. “I’m going to check up on Charlie. Hanover’s all yours till I get back.”

The Junior nodded and left with the rest of the House, and finally Justin was alone in the stands, still sitting under his umbrella and not caring that he was more than a little damp now. Across the field he saw the St. Patrick’s players and supporters leaving and for a moment he was tempted to run over and beat the tar out of the striker that had hurt Charlie.

But no… he’d promised. No more fights. He’d leave the boy’s retribution to the Twins.

He got up and headed to the locker rooms….

=====

Anyone passing the boys’ locker room would think they’d just lost every game of the season, let alone won a match over their arch-rivals.

The room had emptied of most of the players. Justin was thankful Murdoch had also left because he was in no mood to see the surly Stuart professor at the moment. Only a couple of boys, including Charlie, and the medic remained. He stayed pressed up against the wall beside the door, waiting.

Spencer came out first and stopped to talk to his friend.

“Murdoch’s a bastard,” he said to Justin.

“Since when has this been new?” Justin asked. “What did he do?”

“Blamed the whole thing on Charlie. Said he should have seen the Lions’ striker coming for him. I don’t think he even realizes we won the game. All he did was go on about how Charlie did everything wrong with that attempted strike of his.”

Justin frowned. “How is Charlie?”

Spencer made a face. “Quiet. Like, really quiet. He didn’t even say anything back to Murdoch like he usually does.”

Justin sighed. “Okay, I’ll try talking to him. Thanks Spence.”

“Anytime, bro.”

Spencer patted him on the shoulder and headed off. Justin settled back to waiting. The medic came out next, but didn’t say anything to him. He could hear Derek inside talking to Charlie about upcoming practices and his ankle. Charlie’s reply was soft and short, and then Derek was walking out. He stopped when he saw Justin.

“I did tell Murdoch that if it wasn’t for Charlie attempting the strike, we wouldn’t have even had that penalty kick,” he said.

“I’m sure Charlie appreciates it.” Justin pushed off the wall to go inside.

Derek caught his arm and stopped him. “Tell him not to take it personally. Everyone knows Murdoch has a beef with the Windsors.”

Justin pulled his arm out of Derek’s grip. “Maybe one day you should tell him that yourself.”

He turned into the locker room and shut the door behind him, hanging up his coat and leaving his umbrella to drain before turning to face Charlie.

The Windsor prefect sat with his right leg still propped up on the bench, still wearing his football uniform, looking muddy and dejected. Justin’s heart ached for him as he went over to sit with him, taking the injured foot in his lap.

“Don’t.” Charlie moved to pull his leg back. “I’m filthy and disgusting right now.”

“You know I don’t care about that.” But Justin let him move, he wasn’t going to force coddling on the other boy. “What did the medic say?”

Charlie pulled off his football jersey and tossed it aside. “It’s not broken. Might be just a sprain, at worst a few torn ligaments and there’ll be one hell of a bruise later.” He shrugged. “I think it’s cursed. It’s the same damned leg I hurt in that paintball war with the Twins.”

Justin smiled a bit. “And you came out of that okay.” 

“So I did. Still though… it hurts like a bitch when I put weight on it, and the doctor said it’s going to take a few weeks before I’m cleared to play again.”

The Hanover prefect touched his knee. “What matters is that you WILL be able to play again. Just rest in the meantime.” He paused. “What about Murdoch?”

“Murdoch can burn in hell.”

That was that then. Justin let the topic drop. He knew better than to humor Charlie or offer empty comfort like saying that he did the best he could. Charlie already knew that. Instead, Justin chuckled. 

“We could ask Dwight to try and exorcise him.”

Charlie made a face as he got up to finish stripping – both boys had long since gotten used to changing in front of each other, even before they’d become boyfriends. “I think he’s already tried. Said something about the demon being too strong in that one.”

Justin laughed. “He wouldn’t be wrong.” He hesitated a moment before saying, “Don’t let the old geezer get to you okay?”

The Windsor prefect kicked his shorts and underwear aside and grabbed a towel before hobbling over to the shower stall. “I’m reminding myself that I shouldn’t.” He stumbled and caught himself against a wall.

“Good.” He stood up quickly when Charlie stumbled. “Here, what are you doing?!” he asked alarmed.

“Uhh going to take a shower? I’m really gross right now, Justin.”

The Hanover prefect watched him with a slightly pained expression, cringing a little as Charlie balanced himself on his left leg and braced his hands on the shower wall, letting the water run down his back. Justin swallowed hard and looked away, his heart and mind racing. They may have been comfortable seeing each other with no clothes on, but there were some lines neither of them were ready to cross yet.

He heard Charlie wince as he shifted, and he sighed. Man up, Bancroft, he told himself. Whatever lines there were, they were best friends first and foremost, and right now, his best friend was in pain and needed help whether he liked it or not.

His hands moved of their own accord and the next thing he knew, he was pulling his shirt over his head and stepping out of his jeans and briefs. He was wet from all the rain, he reasoned. A warm shower would do him some good, too….

=====

Charlie shook his head and dabbed at his eyes, trying to balance his weight on one foot and reach for the soap with the other, wondering how he was going to maintain an upright position on the slippery tiles and get clean at the same time. 

Maybe he should have taken up gymnastics instead of soccer… no, football, he mentally corrected himself. Justin would have another fit if he called it soccer again.

Damn, he needed to turn around to get the soap. Gingerly he tried putting some weight on his right foot. Pain shot up his leg and he winced, quickly shifting his body and nearly losing his balance in the process.

“Whoa, I got you,” a very familiar voice said right beside him.

In the next moment, an arm slid around his waist and he found himself pressed against bare skin. He started in surprise. “Justin!” He turned his head to see the English boy at his side, holding him up and as stark naked as he was. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” His cheeks were turning pink, and not from the heat of the water.

“Helping you,” was the simple answer. “And don’t say you don’t need any, I know you do.” At least Justin was blushing, too. “Put your arm around me, we’ll do this together. Trust me.”

Charlie relented. He draped his right arm over Justin’s shoulders, leaning against the Hanover prefect and thanking his stars that Justin was just as strong as he was. In the end, he needn’t have worried. Whatever awkwardness there might have been vanished when Justin smiled reassuringly at him, encouraging him to relax.

He finally let go, turning to face the English boy and wrapping both arms around him in a hug before burying his face in the crook of his neck. He felt Justin’s hold tighten around him and soothing arms gently stroke along his back, and he sighed contently when the other boy pressed a light kiss to his shoulder.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said softly, the words muffled against Justin’s skin.

“No other place I’d rather be,” Justin replied.

=====

He held on for as long as Charlie needed him to, sharing unspoken support till Charlie was strong enough to pull back and smile back at him.

“Thanks, Justin,” he said. “I needed that.”

“I know.” He kissed Charlie gently on the forehead. “Let’s get you clean and then we can go chill out in one of the Commons and get the Windsors to wait on you hand and foot.”

Charlie half-nuzzled him. “Sounds like a plan.”

The next few moments passed in easy, comfortable silence, with nothing but the sound of the water raining down on them. It was then that Justin realized that this was all he ever wanted – this, these moments like just standing under a shower with the person he loved; that he didn’t care if his family took away his inheritance for not marrying a girl – with the education he and Charlie were getting at Dalton, they could find jobs and build their own future.

Because this – rinsing shampoo out of Charlie’s hair, smoothing soap down his back while being gentle with bruised skin, washing dirt and mud from his legs while being mindful of his injured foot – all this? This was what loving someone was all about, wasn’t it? Being there for them, not when you were wanted, but when you were needed; finding them beautiful under all the mud, dirt and bruises; admiring how strong they were even if they were only standing on one foot.

He met Charlie’s bright cornflower-blue eyes when the Windsor prefect looked up at him.

“What?” he asked, tilting his head slightly.

“I love you,” Justin said.

Charlie’s eyes widened and Justin closed the distance between them and kissed him softly, tangling his fingers in the Windsor’s wet hair. Charlie’s arms went around him and he could feel fingers stroking up and down his spine in little patterns that made his skin tingle as the Windsor boy kissed him back.

They pulled away a fraction to grab a quick breath of air before Charlie tugged his head down and kissed him again, his lips parting and inviting Justin in. Their tongues brushed and Justin felt his heart racing as he traced the roof of Charlie’s mouth. The Windsor prefect moaned softly and shifted, pressing closer against the Hanover and, despite the water running over them, Justin felt like he was on fire.

He would have deepened the kiss if he could, till both of them could barely breathe, but then Charlie was moving back, his hold loosening. Justin frowned, confused. Had he done something wrong? Pushed too hard or too fast? He trailed the fingers of one hand lightly down the other’s neck and jaw line, his eyes asking unspoken questions.

“Chaz…?”

Charlie shook his head. “Much as I’d like to carry on with this interesting development, my legs are starting to get a little tired, particularly the one I’m standing on.” He smiled ruefully.

Justin wanted to bang his head against the wall. He’d momentarily forgotten that Charlie was injured, but despite that his body didn’t seem to want to let him go just yet. He looked down into those pretty blue eyes and kissed his lips lightly. “Trust me.”

He wrapped an arm around Charlie’s waist and tugged him closer, holding him almost flush to him and used what strength he had to gently turn them around and back the shorter boy up till he was pressed up against the wall. Charlie gave a soft gasp and Justin shivered at the sound of it.

“Is this better?” he asked. 

“A little,” Charlie replied. The warm water still rained down on them. “Don’t see why we couldn’t have used a bed though?” His arms encircled Justin again.

Justin nuzzled at the curve of his shoulder, licking at a spot when one of Charlie’s hands came up to gently rub at the nape of his neck. “Don’t think I could have held out that long.”

“… Oh.”

“Mmhmm…. Now shut up and let me make you feel a little better.”

He trailed a hand slowly down the side of Charlie’s right thigh before gripping him behind the knee and lifting the injured leg up gently, letting the other boy curl the limb around his hip.

“I don’t think this was what the medic had in mind when he told me to keep my leg elevated,” the Windsor chuckled huskily. “Not that I’m complaining… oh god, Justin!” He breathed out a ragged moan when the English boy brushed against him with his leg.

Justin smirked and caught his lips in another heated kiss.

=====

Even if the whole of Windsor had broken into the locker room at this point, Charlie wouldn’t have cared. Trapped against the wall and caught up in Justin’s arms with the other boy’s mouth moving against his own, it was the closest thing to good he’d felt all day. His fingers threaded through Justin’s dark, dripping hair, keeping them together as he explored the other boy’s mouth with his tongue.

His heart hammered in his chest and something told him that if Justin pulled away now and left him to stand on his own, he might just die or something because a world where the Hanover wasn’t within touching distance was not a world he wanted to live in. He needed Justin, just like he needed to eat and breathe.

That was when it became startlingly clear to him. He had been wondering for a brief moment before Justin ‘attacked’ him, whether he could return the English boy’s words and mean them from the bottom of his heart as a commitment. Now he knew…. He would do anything for this boy, follow him anywhere, be his everything. He would fight for this boy; he was fully prepared to die for this boy.

Maybe it was a little deep for an 18-year-old high school kid, but there it was. He would live and die for Justin Bancroft, and that was that.

“Charlie…?”

He then realized that at some point during this revelation he had stopped responding to Justin’s kisses and had frozen up. Time to remedy that. He kissed Justin lightly and cupped his face in his hands.

“Hey, English?”

“Mmm?”

“I love you, too.”

He watched fondly as Justin’s face went from worried and confused to realization and elation, and grinned, nodding.

Justin moved to kiss him again. “Glad we’re on the same page.”

Charlie didn’t bother answering, being too busy getting his lips reacquainted with Justin’s. Once more he felt the English boy’s hand move from gently stroking his spine to further down his back and he couldn’t resist the moan that escaped his mouth. On reflex his hips moved and ground against Justin’s and this time it was the Hanover who moaned.

“Ch-Chaz, I…”

“You’d better finish what you started, English, because I am not going back to Windsor like… this. I already have an ankle to deal with.”

“Bossy aren’t we?”

“I’m the one injured here, and you’re keeping me standing.”

“You’re lucky I love you so much.”

Then Justin’s lips and tongue were on his neck once more and Charlie tilted his head back as the other prefect licked a trail up his throat. He ground their hips together again and both boys whimpered raggedly in need. Charlie’s fingers tangled in Justin’s hair again as he pulled him off his neck and kissed him hungrily, cursing his injured ankle a little bit because had he the use of both legs right now, he’d be pinning Justin to the wall and ravishing him instead.

He bit gently on Justin’s lower lip, squirming slightly when the English boy’s hand slipped between them and touched him.

“Justin…”

=====

Charlie’s breathy moan of his name only made him want to grind up even harder against the Windsor prefect, despite the fact that he already had a hand on him and was working him over slowly, marvelling at how good Charlie felt against him, on him.

And then suddenly Charlie growled softly… and Justin had never felt more turned on in his life… until the American boy lowered his hand and touched him.

“Damn, Chaz… the things you do to me,” he murmured.

“Shut up and kiss me, Justin,” Charlie hissed. 

Justin rolled his eyes fondly. “Yes, master.” 

He leaned down and captured the others lips again, trying very hard to focus – not the easiest thing to do when Charlie’s fingers were doing wonderful things to him. It seemed like every move Justin made on him, he mirrored back on the Hanover, so that the two of them were panting hard and sweating in spite of the water flowing over them.

His hand kept moving on the Windsor and he could feel Charlie gasping for breath against his lips… or was that himself, because Charlie’s hand never stilled either. The kiss broke when Charlie pulled away, leaning into him and dropping his head back as he tried not to make too much noise in response to Justin’s hand working him to release. Justin licked once more at the exposed throat, eliciting a soft groan from the Windsor prefect before the boy somewhat sagged against him, breathing hard.

“Damn, Justin…” he panted. “That was…” He stopped and glanced at the other boy. “Wait, you didn’t…” 

Justin certainly hadn’t, but he was getting there, and Charlie seemed to realise this.

“It’s fine. You needed it more,” the Hanover said, easing his hand off. “I’ll be… oh god, Chaz!”

He ground against Charlie and his hand that was doing unbelievable wonderful things to him at the moment, his own hands grasping onto the other prefect’s hip and thigh. He had the feeling Charlie was smirking at him, but right now he was too wrapped up in bliss to care, as long as he kept doing that with his hand… oh… 

Justin whimpered and pressed his face to the curve of Charlie’s neck to muffle a cry as intense pleasure shot through his body, and he felt Charlie’s free hand gently stroking his back as he shivered against him.

When he finally regained some form of control and Charlie had released him, he pulled the other boy closer for a soft, gentle kiss, slowly easing his leg back down and helping him balance. Charlie kissed him back, cupping his face and running his thumbs over his cheekbones while the water washed away whatever evidence there was of their little… tryst.

Charlie finally turned off the shower and grabbed the towel he’d hung on the door. “We should go before the janitor comes in to clean up.”

The Hanover nodded. “And we should see to your leg.”

“We should…”

They kissed again….

=====

It was almost curfew when Justin finally helped Charlie up the steps and into Windsor. The rain had thankfully ceased by the time they made it out of the locker room, so Justin merely left his umbrella by the door.

Most of the boys had already gone to bed, thanks in part to Blaine, Kurt, Wes and David shooing everyone off so there would be minimal smothering of their House prefect when he returned. When the two boys emerged in the hall, Kurt took one look at them, grabbed Blaine’s arm and dragged him up the stairs, declaring it was late and they should all get some sleep.

Blaine followed him up extremely confused.

“Uh, goodnight guys,” Charlie called after them, then turned to Justin. “We should head up, too.”

“Whoa wait, he’s staying over here?” David asked.

“Yeah.” The Windsor prefect eyed the two remaining boys. “Is there a problem with that?”

“Your room is a single,” Wes pointed out.

“Go to bed, guys,” Charlie ordered as he hobbled up the stairs with Justin. “Some of you have exams in the morning.” He looked pointedly at David.

Both boys ascended the stairs after the two prefects, following behind at a distance close enough for them to hear bits of the conversation, but far enough that it wasn’t eavesdropping. 

“Maybe I should head back,” Justin was saying.

Charlie shook his head. “Hanover’s all the way on the other side of campus. You’ll never make it back in time for curfew, and I’d rather neither of us have to explain why we were in the South and Main locker rooms so late.”

“That would be awkward,” Justin agreed and gave him a knowing smile. “Well if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

David and Wes stopped short, staring at each other, then looking back at two prefects who stopped at Charlie’s door. Justin had his arms around the Windsor as he got his door open, and had his face pressed to the side of his neck. Charlie only chuckled as they disappeared into his room and the door shut.

Wes tilted his head. “Did Justin just grope Chaz as they went in?”

“I think he did,” David replied. “And what was that about the locker room?”

“It’s called…”

“… progress.”

Evan and Ethan emerged at their room door wearing identical grins. “We say it’s about time,” they chorused.

Ethan tossed two little packets to Wes and David, who eyed them in confusion. “Earplugs,” he explained. “You might need them. We’re thinking at least third base tonight.”

Wes and David all but fled to their room.

Evan high-fived Ethan. “And that’s the last of them…. Hey, think we should make our dear prefect breakfast in the morning? Or at least persuade Alice to?”

“I don’t think they’ll be up in time for breakfast,” Ethan said.

“You have a point.” They turned into their room and shut the door.

=====

Justin sat on Charlie’s bed and drew the boy’s leg onto his lap, proceeding to wrap a bandage around the injured ankle. He glanced over at the Windsor who was gazing back at him fondly.

“You’ll be the talk of Windsor tomorrow,” Charlie said.

“I thought you said they already knew we were dating?” Justin asked.

“Some of them…. Given Wes and David’s reactions though, I think they thought we were mostly the hand-holding type of dating.”

The Hanover chuckled. “As opposed to the ‘feeling you up in the shower’ type?”

Charlie blushed. “Something like that.” He drew his leg back and propped it up on a pillow that Justin had placed for him on one end of the bed. Then he shifted to make room for Justin. “I’m half looking forward to hearing the gossip in the morning.”

Justin stood. “That reminds me, I didn’t exactly bring sleepwear with me to change into, and I’m not sleeping in these clothes.”

“Would you like to room with Kurt and Reed instead?” Charlie asked, rolling his eyes. “Just wear something of mine… or… nothing at all.” He shrugged.

“Wait, what? Seriously?” Justin looked at him and got raised eyebrows in return. He smirked then. “Would this be a mutual thing?”

“Might as well have something to back up all the talk that’ll be going around.”

Five minutes later there were clothes strewn across the floor, and Justin was leaning over to capture Charlie’s lips in a gentle kiss as the Windsor pulled the blankets up around them. Charlie returned the kiss and brought his hands up to tangle his fingers in Justin’s hair. Justin smiled down at him.

“I love you and your crazy ideas, I hope you know,” he said.

“Mmm… yeah, I know.” Charlie nipped at a lip. “I love you, too.”

“Good.” Justin straddled him. “Because I intend to show you just how much.”

Charlie smirked up at him. “Promises promises.”

“That’s not what you said in the shower.”

“… Justin?”

“Yes?”

“Just shut up and kiss me.”

 

~ END.


End file.
